A new type of triptycene-based stationary phases with alkylated benzimidazolium cations for gas chromatographic separations

The new type of triptycene-based stationary phases with alkylated benzimidazolium cations shows high selectivity towards aromatic isomers.     

Synthesis and evaluation of new propazine-imprinted polymer formats for use as stationary phases in liquid chromatography

Silica particles have been used as supports for the preparation of three different propazine-imprinted polymer formats. First format refers to grafting of thin films of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) using an immobilised iniferter-type initiator (inif-MIP). The other two new formats were obtained by complete filling of the silica pores with the appropriate polymerisation mixture leading to a silica-MIP composite material (c-MIP) followed by the dissolution of the silica matrix resulting in spherical MIP beads (dis-MIP). These techniques offer a mean of fine-tuning the particle morphology of the resulting MIP particles leading to enhanced capacity in chromatographic applications. Porous silica (specific surface area S = 380 m² g⁻¹, particle size p_s = 10 μm, pore volume V_p = 1.083 ml g⁻¹ and pore diameter d_p = 10.5 nm), methacrylic acid and ethylenglycol dimethacrylate were used for the preparation of the materials. All the MIP formats imprinted with propazine have been characterised by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. Further, the materials were assessed as stationary phases in HPLC. Capacity factors, imprinting factors and theoretical plate numbers were calculated for propazine and other related triazines in order to compare the chromatographic properties of the three different stationary phases. For the inif-MIPs the column efficiency depended strongly on the amount of grafted polymer. Thus, only the polymers grafted as thin films of ca. 1.3 nm average thickness show imprinting effects and the highest column efficiency giving plate numbers (N) of 1600 m⁻¹ for the imprinted propazine. The performance of the c-MIP stationary phase decreases as result of the complete pore filling after polymerisation and increases again after the removal of the silica matrix due to a better mass transfer in the porous mirror-image resulting polymer. From this study can be concluded that the inif-MIP shows the best efficiency for use as stationary phase in HPLC for the separation of triazinic herbicides.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic resolution of free dichlorophenol isomers on new stationary liquid phases

Summary It is difficult to separate all the dichlorophenol isomers as free phenols by gas-liquid chromatography. However they were effectively separated on 4,4-dimethoxyazoxybenzene (liquid crystal), and all the isomers were separated appreciably well on sodium 1-naphthalenesulfonate, 2-naphthalenesulfonate and dodecylbenzenesulfonate.     

A mild,copper-catalysed amide deprotection strategy: use of tert-butyl as a protecting group

Mild methods for the deprotection of organic substrates are of fundamental importance in synthetic chemistry. A new room temperature method using a catalytic amount of Cu(OTf)₂ is reported. This allows use of the tert-butyl group as an amide protecting group. The methodology is also extended to Boc-deprotection.     

Novel ion chromatographic stationary phases for the analysis of complex matrices

Ion chromatography (IC) has a proven track record in the determination of inorganic and organic anions and cations in complex matrices. Recently, application of IC to the separation and determination of bio-molecules such as amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleotides, proteins and peptides has also received much attention. The key to the determination of all of the above species in the most analytically challenging complex matrices is the ability to manipulate selectivity through control of stationary phase chemistry, mobile phase chemistry and the choice of detection method. This Tutorial Review summarises some of the most significant recent advances made in IC stationary phase technology. In particular, the review details stationary phases specifically designed for ion analysis in complex sample matrices, and considers in which direction future stationary phase development might proceed.     

Nanoparticles as stationary and pseudo-station+ary phases in chromatographic and electrochromatographic separations

To improve selectivity, chemical stability, and separation efficiency of chromatography, many past papers reported on nanoparticles (NPs) being used as stationary phases in chromatography. This article covers applications of NPs, including carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, gold NPs, silica NPs, zirconia NPs, and titanium-oxide NPs, as stationary phases in gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography.We discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of nanomaterials as stationary phases compared to other materials, including traditional stationary phases. We also discuss future possibilities for developing nanomaterial-based stationary phases.     

Minimal number of chromatographic test parameters for the characterisation of reversed-phase liquid chromatographic stationary phases

This paper focuses on the classification or differentiation of RP-HPLC columns based on measured chromatographic properties. A chemometric study has been conducted on a published data set consisting of 85 RP-HPLC columns and on a data set consisting of 47 self-tested columns. Principal component analysis enables determination of the number of parameters necessary for a rational differentiation. The results show that reducing the number of parameters for such differentiation still allows classification of the columns just as a higher number did. It is shown that three test parameters produce a classification similar to that obtained with five parameters.     

Ionic liquids as porogens in the microwave-assisted synthesis of methacrylate monoliths for chromatographic application

Several imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with varying cation alkyl chain length (C₄–C₁₀) and anion type (tetrafluoroborate ([BF₄]⁻), hexafluorophosphate ([PF₆]⁻) and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Tf₂N]⁻)) were used as reaction media in the microwave polymerization of methacrylate-based stationary phases. Scanning electron micrographs and backpressures of poly(butyl methacrylate-ethylene dimethacrylate) (poly(BMA-EDMA)) monoliths synthesized in the presence of these ionic liquids demonstrated that porosity and permeability decreased when cation alkyl chain length and anion hydrophobicity were increased. Performance of these monoliths was assessed for their ability to separate parabens by capillary electrochromatography (CEC). Intra-batch precision (n = 3 columns) for retention time and peak area ranged was 0.80–1.13% and 3.71–4.58%, respectively. In addition, a good repeatability of RSD_{Retention time} = <0.30% and ∼1.0%, RSD_{Peak area} = <1.30% and <4.3%, and RSD_Efficiency = <0.6% and <11.5% for intra-day and inter-day, respectively exemplify monolith performance reliability for poly(BMA-EDMA) fabricated using 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C₆mim][BF₄]) porogen. This monolith was also tested for its potential in nanoLC to separate protein digests in gradient mode. ILs as porogens also fabricated different alkyl methacrylate (AMA) (C4–C18) monoliths. Furthermore, employing binary IL porogen mixture such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C₄mim][BF₄]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C₄mim][Tf₂N]) successfully decreased the denseness of the monolith, than when using [C₄mim][Tf₂N] IL alone, enabling a chromatographic run to be performed with 1:1 ratio produced baseline separation for the analytes. The combination of ILs and microwave irradiation made polymer synthesis very fast (∼10 min), entirely green (organic solvent-free) and energy saving process.     

Developments in the use of soluble ionic polymers as pseudo-stationary phases for electrokinetic chromatography and stationary phases for electrochromatography

This article reviews the development, characterization and application of soluble ionic polymeric materials as pseudo-stationary phases for electrokinetic chromatography and as stationary phases for electrochromatography since 1997. Polymeric pseudo-stationary phases for electrokinetic chromatography, including cationic polymers, anionic siloxane and acrylamide polymers, polymerized surfactants (micelle polymers), and chiral polymers are reviewed. Also reviewed are suspended molecularly imprinted polymer micro-particles. Application of polymeric pseudo-stationary phases with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection is presented. Recent progress in the development and characterization of physically adsorbed stationary phases for electrochromatography using polymers of the same or similar chemistry is also reviewed.     

Synthesis and characterization of new copolyacrylates containing porphyrin units as pendant groups and their use as sensors

Novel copolyacrylates containing various molar ratios of 5,10,15‐tri[p‐(9‐methoxy‐triethylenoxy)phenyl]‐20‐(p‐acryloxyphenyl)porphyrin units in the chains have been synthesized, and their chemical structure was determined by NMR and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. Sensing response of the synthesized copolymers has been tested for trifluoroacetic and hydrochloric acids and nitrogen dioxide analytes. The reported sensing data indicate that porphyrin units are interacting with analytes in a reversible fashion. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Underivatized amylose and cellulose as new stationary phases for hydrophilic interaction chromatography

Two polysaccharide stationary phases have been newly suggested for application in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). Both columns (amylose‐silica, 250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm and cellulose‐silica, 250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) demonstrated a satisfactory retention of polar compounds. The influence of the mobile‐phase composition (acetonitrile content, pH, salt concentration) on the retention was in agreement with the HILIC concept. The phases showed a very similar behavior, typical efficiency of about 50 000 plates/m, cellulose retained test compounds somewhat more strongly. Under the experimental conditions, electrostatic (non‐HILIC‐type) interactions due to the dissociation of silanol groups on the silica surface did not influence the retention, noticeably. The applicability of polysaccharide stationary phases for the chromatography of polar compounds was proven by the separation of mixtures of sugars (fructose, glucose, saccharose, maltose, trehalose) or vitamins (nicotinamide, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine, nicotinic acid, ascorbic acid).     

Combined supercritical fluid chromatographic methods for the characterization of octadecylsiloxane-bonded stationary phases

In this paper, we present a combination of a key-solute test based on retention and separation factors of large probe solutes (carotenoid pigments) and a quantitative structure-retention relationship analysis based on the retention factors of small probe solutes (aromatic compounds) to investigate the different chromatographic behavior of octadecylsiloxane-bonded stationary phases of all sorts: classical, protected against silanophilic interactions or not, containing polar groups (endcapping groups or embedded groups). Varied chemometric methods are used to enlighten the differences between the 27 phases tested. The results indicate that the two approaches chosen (carotenoid test and solvation parameter model) are complementary and provide precise information on the chromatographic behavior of ODS phases.     

Note on the use of reciprocity of chiral recognition in designing liquid chromatographic chiral stationary phases

The effect of methanol, acetone and acetonitrile on the sensitivity, selectivity and the detection limits (LODs) of the determination of chromium species by ion chromatography was investigated. A collinear dual-beam thermal lens spectrometer was used for the direct detection of chromium complexes [pre-column derivatized Cr(III)–pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and post-column derivatized Cr(VI)–1,5-diphenylcarbazide] following the ion chromatographic separation on a Dionex HPIC-CS5A solvent compatible column. Different amounts of organic solvents were added directly to the eluent (up to 30%) and to the post-column reagent (up to 60%) to improve the thermooptical properties of the solvents. Consequently, the sensitivity of the technique was increased by a factor of 2–3 and LODs of 0.1 and 10 μg dm⁻³ were achieved for Cr(VI) and Cr(III), respectively, when the eluent reaching the detector contained 30% of acetonitrile. The addition of organic solvents also resulted in significant changes in retention times, which improved the Cr(III)/Cr(VI) separation.     

Creation and characteristics of phosphatidylcholine stationary phases for the chromatographic separation of inorganic anions

New stationary phases for chromatographic separation of anions, obtained by loading liposomes made from dimyristolyphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) onto reversed-phase packed columns (C18 and C30) are reported. Mono- and divalent anions were used as model analyte ions and retention data for these species were obtained using the DMPC stationary phases and used to elucidate the separation mechanisms involved in this chromatographic system. The DMPC stationary phases can separate anions by either a solvation-dependent mechanism or an electrostatic ion-exchange mechanism, depending upon the relative magnitudes of the negative electrostatic potential (Psi(-)) of the phosphate moiety (P-) and the positive electrostatic potential (Psi(+)) of the quaternary ammonium groups (N+) on the headgroup of DMPC. If Psi(+) > Psi(-), such as in case where Psi(-) has been reduced either by binding of eluent cations (e.g., H+ or divalent cations) onto the P- group of DMPC or by steric screening when a C30 reversed-phase material was used to support the DMPC, then the overall electrostatic surface potential (and hence also the effective anion-exchange capacity) was generally large and the anions were separated on the basis of an electrostatic mechanism. However, if Psi(+) was similar to Psi(-), such as in the case of using a C18 reversed-phase support and monovalent cations as eluent cations, then the overall electrostatic surface potential and the effective anion-exchange capacity were very small and the analyte anions were separated on the basis of a solvation-dependent mechanism. The DMPC stationary phases were found to be suitable for the direct determination of iodide and thiocyanate in highly saline water samples, such as seawater samples.     

Characterization of phosphonium ionic liquids through a linear solvation energy relationship and their use as GLC stationary phases

In recent years, room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have proven to be of great interest to analytical chemists. One important development is the use of RTILs as highly thermally stable GLC stationary phases. To date, nearly all of the RTIL stationary phases have been nitrogen-based (ammonium, pyrrolidinium, imidazolium, etc.). In this work, eight new monocationic and three new dicationic phosphonium-based RTILs are used as gas–liquid chromatography (GLC) stationary phases. Inverse gas chromatography (GC) analyses are used to study the solvation properties of the phosphonium RTILs through a linear solvation energy model. This model describes the multiple solvation interactions that the phosphonium RTILs can undergo and is useful in understanding their properties. In addition, the phosphonium-based stationary phases are used to separate complex analyte mixtures by GLC. Results show that the small differences in the solvent properties of the phosphonium ILs compared with ammonium-based ILs will allow for different and unique separation selectivities. Also, the phosphonium-based stationary phases tend to be more thermally stable than nitrogen-based ILs, which is an advantage in many GC applications.